1. Transforming The Way We Think and Work
The Way We Were
HPO
Transforming Way We Think
Transforming Way We Do Business
Transforming The Way We Think and Work
One Agency’s Story
Fairfax County Department of Community and Recreation Services

2. The Way We Were
70% turnover in management in 2 years – no succession plan
Limited cross-agency collaboration
Probable merger of service areas into other agencies
Limited promotional opportunities
Limited employee involvement in decision-making
Poor internal communications (50% of staff decentralized)
Changing recreation environment – Staff no longer had needed core competencies
Transformation of recreation as a Human Service
HPO – Train Station

3. Values to Work Culture
Clarified the organizational pressures and stakeholder expectations
Benchmarked high performance organizations, learning about high performance
Assessed current organization strengths and weaknesses
Created an organization operating philosophy
Learned facilitative leadership skills
Dealt with change resistance in positive way
Created positive mindsets
Empathized for the "sense of loss"

4. Vision to Performance
Identified key variances in the technical system and people system
Assessed and developed a plan to redesign the work system including jobs, roles, and responsibilities
Designed a performance measurement and management plan
Assessed and developed a plan redesigned the enabling support systems
Created a system for organizational development: training, development, continual learning
Developed a transition plan to manage the change
Provided for continual renewal to ensure adapting to changing environment

5. Achieving Our Vision – Action Plan for the Next 5 years
Strategic Area 1
Develop Comprehensive Recreational Programs
Create a flexible system that provides creative and innovative community, educational, social and recreation programs that promote the following service outcomes: 1) healthy/well children and adults; 2) involved citizens and connected communities; 3) accessible communities and services; 4) resilient youth; 5) citizens committed to personal growth.
Target Success:
75% of customers report satisfaction with type of programs and services
60% of customers report programs help sustain a healthy lifestyle
40% of customers report participation as a volunteer in one or more programs
85% of customers report satisfaction with youth, teen, senior programs
20% agency-wide increase in activity/center attendance

6. Short-Range Action Steps (2002 – 2004)
Initiative/Action
Accomplished
Key Partners
Priority
Result
Create the opportunity to develop and implement new recreation programs as experimental projects.
 5/02
Dream Catcher Program funds two pilot projects
Programming Team
Director’s office
DHSA-Budget 1
Developed a Dream Catcher Program to fund experimental or innovative program ideas as pilots
Expand exercise programs for seniors
Exercise requirement is incorporated in senior standards
AAA
Senior Center Directors
Communication & Planning
FCPS
Completed revisions to senior programming standards to emphasis daily fitness activities; 100% of senior centers scheduled 30 minutes of exercise activities daily and a fitness walking program was installed at all centers.
Review athletic scheduling procedures to ensure opportunity and fairness for new emerging sports that are of interests to specific cultural groups.
 12/02
New field policy approved by BOS
Athletic Council
Athletic Services Division
Completed a new County-wide policy for Public Athletic Field Allocation; 100% of field applicants received the allowable allocated space; appeal request dropped by 250%.

7. Leadership Challenges
Aligning work to the work of the County and Human Services systems
Making changes within corporate work structures and systems
Developing effective communication systems and implementing the communication plan
Pacing and keeping the changes moving
Making the tough decisions to release old work styles and service areas that no longer fit with mission
Balancing and supporting the needs of the entire workforce
Accepting that some “initiatives” may not work but staying focused to find solutions

8. What We Have learned
Creating high performance organizations is a collaborative effort
Success comes from a participative design process
Leadership is the engine that pulls the train but engine can’t deliver the service to our customers

9. Continue working force improvement efforts; assess efficacy of efforts
HPO
Where Do We Go from Here
Continue working force improvement efforts; assess efficacy of efforts
Evaluate strategic initiatives and customer service outcomes
Continue implementation of strategic plan
Supporting and strengthening linkages to County and Human Service strategic directions